EGPB begins renewable plants construction in Brazil

Enel Green Power Brasil Participações (EGPB), the Brazilian subsidiary of Enel Group, has started the construction of five new renewable plants in north-eastern Brazil with an investment of about R$5.6bn ($1.1bn).

The company will construct four wind farms and one solar facility with a combined capacity of 1.3GW.

In Piauí region, EGBP will construct a 396MW Lagoa dos Ventos III wind farm and a 256MW São Gonçalo III solar park.

While the remaining three wind farms Morro do Chapéu Sul II (353MW), Cumaru (206MW) and Fontes dos Ventos II (99MW) are being developed in the states of Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco.

All these wind farms will be backed by power supply contracts in the Brazilian free energy market.

The renewable power facilities are expected to start operations next year, with the exception of Lagoa dos Ventos III, which will begin commercial operations in 2022.

Once operational, the five renewable power generation facilities are expected to generate 5.5TWh of clean energy annually, while offsetting approximately three million tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Enel Green Power CEO Salvatore Bernabei said: “The start of construction of 1.3GW of new renewable capacity is an unprecedented milestone in the history of our company in Brazil, especially in view of the challenges imposed by the current scenario.

“These new projects further strengthen our position as leaders in Brazil’s solar and wind generation markets, while highlighting our commitment towards the development of the Brazilian renewable sector in order to diversify the country’s energy mix as well as contribute to the economic and social development of the local communities in which we are present.”